The present invention relates to the production and maintenance of a viable cell culture or line infected by the virus associated with multiple sclerosis (MS). Such a culture in fact has the advantage of constituting a biological material which expresses the activity of the virus associated with MS, and as a result can be used for various experimental aims, in particular for tests for identification and characterization of the virus, but also for clinical or therapeutic aims.
"Viable culture " is understood as meaning any culture which keeps infected cells alive such that the virus associated with MS is expressed and which preserves the mitotic potency of said cells, in particular during culture of the latter by successive passages.
The present invention relates to a process for in vitro culture of cells infected by a virus present in individuals suffering from multiple sclerosis and to the infected cell lines thus obtained.